


It’s Either Love or a Stomach Virus

by IAmStoryteller



Category: Black Clover - Tabata Yuki (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Flower Shop & Tattoo Parlor, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, First Impressions, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-19
Updated: 2021-03-19
Packaged: 2021-03-28 08:00:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,124
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30136440
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IAmStoryteller/pseuds/IAmStoryteller
Summary: Mimosa loves her life.  She runs a successful flower shop.  She gets to spend time with her favorite cousin.  And she gets to spend her life playing with flowers.But then, the storefront across the street is finally rented and in comes Vaude Inks and Piercings.  Mimosa isn’t one to judge people by the way they look and it’s certainly nice that a new business has arrived, so she goes over with a welcome to main street gift.Mimosa meets Langris Vaude, the rude owner of the shop, and it’s not a great first impression.
Relationships: Asta/Yuno (Black Clover), Finesse Calmreich/Finral Roulacase, Kahono/Noelle Silva, Langris Vaude/Mimosa Vermillion, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Zora Ideale/Kirsch Vermillion
Comments: 3
Kudos: 8





	It’s Either Love or a Stomach Virus

**Author's Note:**

> Mimosa’s Flower Shop:  
>  **Mimosa’s Bundles of Joy**  
>  Mimosa- owner and main shopkeeper  
> Noelle- Mimosa’s cousin, part-time helper  
> Marie- Middle School Student, part-time helper  
> Wainsley- website/IG account, part-time helper
> 
> Langris’s Tattoo Shop:  
>  **Vaude Inks and Piercings**  
>  Langris- owner, main tattoo artist  
> Zora- tattoo artist  
> Gordon- tattoo artist  
> Magna- tattoo artist and piercer  
> Sol- piercer  
> Risacca- piercer
> 
> Others:  
> Asta runs a tato farm and flower nursery where Mimosa gets her extra flowers  
> Asta and Yuno (a college professor who commutes every day) are married and they have 4 adopted kids  
> Asta and Yuno are about ten years older than Mimosa 
> 
> Finral, Langris’ half-brother, and Finral’s wife Finesse run a bistro together
> 
> Mereoleona, Fuegoleon and Leopold (Mimosa’s other cousins) run a motorcycle garage
> 
> Kirsch, Mimosa’s brother, is a dance instructor with his own performance house
> 
> Mimosa and Langris are made the same age for this AU

Mimosa Vermillion had a good, happy life.

She owned a flower shop— _Mimosa’s Bundles of Joy_ —in the heart of Clover City. She got to work with flowers every day. She helped her clients, be it with weddings, sweet sixteen parties, birthday parties, bridal showers, she did all sorts of occasions. Mimosa had a good relationship with her family—her retired parents and her annoying but sometimes alright older brother who ran a dance studio several blocks away. And she got to spend time with her favorite cousin, who helped out at Mimosa’s shop on the weekends.

Mimosa had the reputation of a kind, compassionate woman and generally, people liked her. 

So, all in all, Mimosa was pretty happy.

“Hey,” said Wainsley, coming out to the front of the store. Wainsley Springs was Mimosa’s college friend. Wainsley did all of Mimosa’s marketing, managed the social media accounts and the store website. “Listen, there’s a new shop opening up.”

“Oh, that’s great! Where?”

“That building across the street that had been empty for two years. According to the Small Business Group of Clover City, it’s gonna be a tattoo and piercing place,” said Wainsley. 

Mimosa grinned. “Ooh, that’s gonna bring a different kind of people around here! And maybe since their tattoo artists, they can stop by to use my flowers as inspiration.”

“I knew you were gonna say that,” said Wainsley. “They’re opening next month, so you’ll want to greet them. I know you like to promote small business unity. From my sources, they’re gonna start fixing the place up tomorrow.”

“A cactus! I just got star cactuses just in! That’s a perfect gift,” said Mimosa, half-listening to everything Wainsley said.

Wainsley sighed. “Just don’t scare them away with your cheerfulness and kindness.”

“Hey, I’m a delight,” said Mimosa.

“You are, but you’re like a distilled Disney princess with a dash of a benevolent goddess,” said Wainsley, “and mere mortals can’t handle that.”

“I’m telling Borja you called me a princess and a goddess,” Mimosa teased.

“Impossible, you’re impossible,” said Wainsley, fondly.

*

The next day, Mimosa walked across the street as soon as she saw people entering the shop. She carried a potted star cactus and a gift basket with coffee, mugs, and her homemade organic chocolate chip cookies. As she got closer to the door, she realized that Wainsley was right, she might go overboard being friendly and welcoming.

 _Oh, well,_ Mimosa thought, as she knocked on the door.

A moment later, the door swung open. A tall, handsome (but not her type, best not let Kirsch see this man) red-haired man in black jeans and a band t-shirt answered the door. He had gauges in his ears, both his eyebrows pierced and wore a black face-mask. “What,” he asked gruffly.

“I’m Mimosa Vermillion. I own the flower shop right over there,” said Mimosa, gesturing over to her shop. “I wanted to welcome you! Are you the owner?”

“Nah, that’s not me. I’m just a tattoo artist,” said the guy. “Name’s Zora Ideale. I see you brought coffee. You’re a saint. Come in.” Zora let her inside the work-in-progress shop. “Oi! Dumbasses, we got a neighbor visiting!”

Three women and two men appeared from different parts of the area. Zora pointed at each person. “That’s Letoile, that’s Risacca, that’s Sol, that’s David, and that’s Magna.” The group were pierced and tattooed up but they seemed like nice people.

“Hi,” said Mimosa. “Mimosa Vermillion, welcome.” She placed the gift basket on the table.

“Awesome, I just set up the coffee machine in the break room,” said David. “And she brought mugs and cookies. You’re an angel.”

“Ignore him,” said Zora, dismissively. 

“Oh, this is a store-warming present,” said Mimosa, handing over the star cactus. “It doesn’t need much water and it’s easy to care for.”

“You’re so sweet,” said Letoile, the blonde with glasses. “Thanks. Boss man isn’t here right now, but we’ll tell him you stopped by.”

“That’s wonderful. I wish you all the best of luck. Come over if you need inspiration for flower tattoos,” said Mimosa. 

“That’s real kind of you, Miss Mimosa,” said Magna with the slicked back black and grey hair.

And then, the door slammed open and yelling began. It was a man around her age. He had light brown hair, a scowl on his handsome face. “What are you standing around for? We have a month to get this place in order! Who are you?”

Mimosa turned to introduce herself. “Mim—”

“You can leave,” said the guy, rudely.

Mimosa still smiled, though her irritation spiked. “I’m Mimosa.”

“Don’t be a dick, Vaude,” said Zora, rolling his eyes. “She’s the flower shop owner, you know, across the street. Mimosa, this is the owner, Langris Vaude, our asshole-in-chief.”

Langris looked at her and immediately said, “Yes, yes, nice to meet you, please leave, we’re busy.”

Mimosa smiled sweetly and said with a saccharine sweet tone, “Yes, well, have a wonderful day.”

She left.

Langris Vaude was a jackass. His poor team.

*

“Dude, what the fuck?”

Langris Vaude put both of his hands on his face and sighed heavily as soon as the florist left. _Great first impression, idiot,_ he thought to himself.

“Langris, we know you’re stressed, but Mimosa was being nice and welcomin’,” drawled David, patting him on the back. 

“You need to apologize,” said Zora and Letoile at the same time.

“Miss Mimosa is probably super important in the small business community,” said Magna. “She seems the type.”

Langris hunched down as his team and arguably his friends gave him a hard time for putting his foot in his mouth. Langris Vaude was the youngest son of business mogul Leidor Vaude. However, when Langris’ older half-brother Finral decided to run away from their oppressive and emotionally abusive home at the tender age of sixteen, Langris went with his brother. Finral had been written off by their father, but their father often attempted bribery to get Langris to return home.

He was twenty-seven years old and he was not gonna be his father’s heir.

Finral and Langris had struggled in those first few years, but managed both to get their degrees and work through college. Langris did a double major in business and art. It had taken him five years to save enough (by living very, very frugally and taking advantage of his brother and sister-in-law’s kindness), to meet others in the tattoo industry, and to get a loan to open his own business.

He just had to shove his success in his father’s face to prove that he didn’t need the man or his money.

“Letoile, what should I say,” Langris asked, morosely.

Letoile was his best friend since high school. She understood that he was awkward and had a temper, so she often coached him how to get out of trouble when his brain-to-mouth filter didn’t work. Safe to say, she was his impulse control. She sighed. “A simple sorry will suffice. I don’t think she’s the type to hold a grudge unless you don’t apologize.”

“Right,” said Langris, sighing.

“Chin up, Vaude,” said Zora, who Langris swiped from the Knights Tattoo Shop (the premier Tattoo place in the city, where they all trained in their art) with the promise of having more creative control and better working hours. Well, Zora, Magna, Sol and Risacca all came with him. David had been a college friend who latched onto Langris and Letoile and they were never rid of him. “We got this. We’ll shove our success in your father’s slimy face.”

“Bold words, Ideale,” said Langris. He glanced at the cactus that the florist brought and cringed. “Let’s get back to work.”

*

A month later, it was Small Business Saturday and Mimosa was running a “Buy 1 Bouquet, Get the 2nd Half-Price” sale. Today was also opening day for _Vaude Inks and Piercings._ Mimosa had tried not to let the poor first encounter with the owner of the new shop get to her. The others who worked there were really very cool.

“I still say that you should get back at him,” said Kirsch, her older brother by several years, rather unhelpfully. Kirsch had been livid that someone had dared be rude to her, but she managed to tell him to mind his business. Since Mimosa was running the sale, she needed extra hands to help today, which was why he was here.

“She’s too nice,” said Noelle, flipping her hair over her shoulder.

Mimosa rolled her eyes.

Kirsch, her cousins Noelle and Leopold, her part-timer middle-schooler Marie, and Wainsley were all on the shop floor with her. So far, business has been decent for a Saturday in the off-season for flower buying. A new business opening helped.

“Now, now, I’m sure that it was all a misunderstanding,” said Leopold, grinning. “Bet he was just nervous because you’re so pretty, Mim.”

“Leo, you’re my favorite family member,” said Mimosa, smiling gratefully.

“Hey” Noelle protested.

“No one loves you more than me, your beautiful, amazing, fabulous brother,” Kirsch declared.

Leo laughed.

“Kirsch, Noelle, please don’t you dare cause problems,” said Wainsley. “It’s bad PR for businesses to be petty towards each other.”

Marie, a 13-year-old middle schooler who wanted to be a florist since she was very young, said, “I bet he’s like my brother who doesn’t mean half-the-things he says.” 

Marie lived with her brother Gauche and his live-in girlfriend Grey in an apartment building down the street. As soon as Marie started middle school, she begged Mimosa for a job. Marie worked for two hours on Saturday and Mimosa paid her 5000 yul for her time. Marie was a genius with flower crowns.

Mimosa grinned at Marie. “Maybe. I’m just letting it go. I bet he’s not so bad…?” She hadn’t gone over to the tattoo place since that first day, but eventually, Mimosa was going to have to have a chat with Langris Vaude again. 

Her doorbell rang and Mimosa said on instinct, without turning to look at the entrance. “Welcome to Mimosa’s Bundles of Joy!”

“Hey, Mimosa, how’s it goin’?”

“Zora! Letoile! Good afternoon,” said Mimosa, greeting the tattoo artists. “How’s opening day?”

“Well, there’s a lot more dude-bros than we like,” said Zora, scoffing. “And too many tears.”

“You just have a horrible bedside manner,” said Letoile, amused.

“I’m jabbing a needle into their skin 2000 times per minute, of course it’s gonna hurt. Big babies,” said Zora, snorting.

Mimosa giggled. “Are you both on a break?”

“Yeah, wanted to stop by and say hi,” said Letoile. “And to ask if Langris came by and apologize for his rudeness last month.”

Mimosa tilted her head in confusion. “No. Was he supposed to?”

Zora and Letoile traded looks and sighed heavily in disappointment. Zora said, “Well, if he doesn’t soon, let us know.”

Mimosa said, “It’s fine.”

“No, it’s not,” protested Kirsch and Noelle, interrupting the conversation.

“Oh! This is my brother Kirsch and my cousins Noelle and Leo. That’s Wainsley and Marie, they’re my team,” said Mimosa, introducing everyone. “These are Zora and Letoile!”

Everyone greeted each other in that politely awkward way. Zora said, “Agreed. It’s not fine. But I digress. Come on, Letoile, we gotta pick up the food.”

“Right! Have a great day!”

“Thanks! You too!”

Zora and Letoile departed and Mimosa’s heart swelled in happiness. She liked making new friends.

“Sooooo, were you gonna tell me that red-head was my type, Mimosa,” Kirsch asked, not a subtle bone in his body.

“No, Kirsch, don’t even,” said Mimosa. “You go through partners too quickly. And I want to keep Zora as my friend!”

“No promises.”

“You’re a terrible person, Kirsch.”

“You wound me, Mimosa, right in my beautiful heart.”

“Noelle, Leo, will you help me hide his body?”

“Sure.”

“Always!”

*

His business had a great first day. They made new clients and good profit. Langris couldn’t be happier about that, but something plagued him in the back of his mind all day. He still hadn’t apologized to the florist Mimosa Vermillion across the street, much to the irritation of his team. But Langris was nothing but the best at running away from his problems.

(Even his brother Finral, the nicest person he knew, gave him a disapproving look when Zora told Finral what happened!)

It was the end of the shop’s day. He sent his team home after they locked up, but he stayed behind to double check all the paperwork and finances. But in reality, he had been psyching himself up to go over and speak with Mimosa.

He never did.

Langris was never gonna hear the end of it. He can’t let it go on much longer.

Sighing, he shut the folder with the last client information and got ready to leave for home. He shut down the computer and the lights. He exited the front door and locked it. He was about to walk straight home when he saw Mimosa exited her own shop. He walked across the quiet street.

“Miss Vermillion, may I have a minute,” Langris asked, reaching her.

If Mimosa was surprised to see him, she didn’t react. Her stare was chilling. Yellow eyes were an unusual eye color.

“Yes?”

“Er, I’m sorry about our first meeting. I was rude. I shouldn’t have been like that to you,” said Langris, quickly.

Mimosa’s stance softened and she smiled. “All forgiven. Zora and Letoile told me that you were under a lot of pressure that you’re not _that_ prickly. But don’t do it again.”

“I won’t. Thanks for hearing me out,” said Langris. “Well, good night, get home safe.”

“Ah! Wait. How about coffee tomorrow at lunch? I’d like to learn more about your business plans since we’re neighbors,” said Mimosa.

Langris agreed. They traded numbers and went their separate ways.

He arrived home, where he lived with his brother Finral and his sister-in-law Finesse, and promptly panicked. He went to the kitchen where his brother was making the pre-packaged sandwiches for the bistro that Finesse ran, since she was on bedrest. 

“Welcome home. How was your day,” asked Finral.

“I apologize to the florist Mimosa and somehow, I’m meeting her for coffee tomorrow,” said Langris, nervously.

“You have a date,” exclaimed Finral, happily. Finral always worried that Langris was so business minded that Langris didn’t have fun. 

“Not-a-date,” said Langris. “Friendly meeting.”

“Sure, but is she pretty?”

“Brother…”

“I can’t wait to tell Finesse. She’s gonna be so excited.”

“It’s not a date!”

*

Mimosa merely wanted to make amends. It had been an impulsive decision to ask Langris out for coffee, but he had a kicked puppy look on his face when he apologized. Mimosa was a sucker for helping sad people out. Having coffee together was meant to show that Mimosa had no hard feelings.

Sitting in _Roselei’s Coffee and Cakes_ , across from Langris at a table for two, Mimosa didn’t think that this was her best idea ever. Langris was extremely uncomfortable with social interaction. Conversation stilted between them as they ate coffee and the delicate pastries created by Chef Charlotte Roselei and her team in the kitchen. The main thing she learned about Langris was that he was not like he was the first day they met. He was actually very kind, but just very awkward.

Mimosa had tried a dozen topics before she settled on asking the obvious. “What’s the favorite tattoo you designed?”

Langris perked up. “Magna’s friend Fragil wanted something special after she finished culinary school, so I made her a tiered cake with snowflakes tattoo. That was really hard. I like difficult projects to stretch my creativity.”

“Have you made tattoos of flowers,” asked Mimosa, genuinely curious.

“Roses are popular, red or black, amongst college-age girls,” said Langris, shaking his head. “I’ve done a few complicated flowers for some brides. Uhhh, what’s it called, the gladiolus. I didn’t even know what kind of flower it was.”

“Gladiolus are beautiful,” Mimosa admitted. “If you need references for flowers, you and your team can come over and check my flowers out instead of using pictures from the internet.”

Langris looked momentarily stunned at the offer. He said, a small smile on his face, “Thanks.”

Mimosa thought, _He’s cute._

They spent the rest of the coffee meeting talking about art.

When Mimosa returned to her shop, Noelle sat behind the counter with a shit-eating grin on her face. Noelle asked, “How was your date?”

“Shut up. It wasn’t a date. I was being nice,” said Mimosa, face feeling warm.

“You were just supposed to show him that bygones will be bygones, not get a crush.”

Mimosa pouted. “Says the girl who joined the swim team in high school to get closer to your crush.”

Noelle said, “It worked, didn’t it? Kahono and I have been dating for years!”

“Well, this isn’t like that!”

“Sure, it isn’t. And Kirsch definitely isn’t planning on going over to hit on that Zora guy…”

“That settles it. Leo’s my favorite cousin.”

“Hah, until tomorrow when you changed your mind again.”

*

Langris hadn’t meant to make the not-lunch-dates with Mimosa a regular thing. But after the first one, she asked him to join her the next day. And following that one, he asked her. Now after several months, it has become a habit. Zora, Magna, Letoile, David, Risacca and Sol have been teasing him the entire time for getting a girlfriend with his terrible personality.

In between customers, they all tried to one-up each other to see how much they could make Langris blush and/or freak out. Langris didn’t appreciate it, but they were correct that he had a big fat crush on Mimosa. She was sweet, pretty, intelligent, kind, funny and helpful with navigating the politics of the Small Business community. Why wouldn’t Langris not like her?

His team at work he can handle, but what he couldn’t handle was his brother asking when he was going to bring Mimosa to dinner at the house. Langris hadn’t the heart to tell Finral (after the first time) that _it wasn’t like that._ His brother was just so happy for him. Langris didn’t want to burst his bubble.

However, Langris was more than content being friends with Mimosa Vermillion. He still felt bad about their first meeting but she seemed to like his company now, so Langris counted that as a good thing.

“Hey, why don’t you get out of here for an early lunch, Vaude,” said Zora, whacking him on the head with a stack of papers. “Go make heart-eyes at Mimosa.”

“Screw you, Ideale,” said Langris, grumbling. “Should you perhaps deal with the Vermillion that stops by with gifts every day giving you heart-eyes before you comment on my love life?”

Zora snorted. “Fair point. Get out of here.”

“Pushy.”

Nonetheless, Langris left his team in charge (since it was morning and mornings were always slow at tattoo shops, even popular ones) and walked across the street. He was mere feet from Mimosa’s shop when he saw through the window a heart-breaking sight. There was a short, buff ash-blond-haired man hugging Mimosa very enthusiastically. From what he could see, Mimosa laughed when the man did.

 _Well, that doesn’t make me feel too good,_ Langris thought himself. He immediately turned around and walked down the street at a brisk pace. Was that her boyfriend? Of course, someone like Mimosa had a significant other.

He sighed.

*

“He still isn’t answering your texts,” asked Kirsch, sympathetically at their weekly sibling bonding dinner at her brother’s apartment. “And every time you visit the shop, he’s never there or always busy. Did you do something offensive?”

Mimosa pointed her chopsticks menacingly at her brother, pausing in her eating of her Lo Mein. “I didn’t!” It had been two weeks that Langris had been actively avoiding her—dodging in-person conversations, texts left on read, calls sent to voicemail. Mimosa didn’t know what she did. It was depressing her.

“Well, I could ask Zora,” said Kirsch. Her brother was very smitten with Zora. It was definitely gross seeing Kirsch actually make an effort to get to know someone.

“You just want an excuse to talk to him,” said Mimosa, bitterly. “It’s been weeks. Give up. He’s not interested.”

“He’s interested,” said Kirsch with a smitten smile on his face. “Just like Langris is interested in you. So you had best pin him down and find out what his problem is.”

“And anyway, I already asked Zora and Letoile and everyone at the shop. They’re clueless,” said Mimosa, sighing. “Letoile said that Langris gets emotionally constipated sometimes, but that doesn’t help.”

Kirsch shook his head. “Just ask him if you did anything wrong. Text him right now.”

“No, what if it’s something personal,” Mimosa questioned.

“Then, suffer,” said Kirsch.

“Unhelpful jerk,” Mimosa replied.

“Love you too.”

*

Saturday was the day that her shipment got dropped off. While she had her shop set up like a greenhouse, the amount of flowers and the types she needed were able to be produced just by herself. Her supplier was Asta Grinberryall, who lived two hours away from Clover City with his husband, a literature professor at Clover State University, and their four adopted children. Yuno Grinberryall, Asta’s husband, had been her literature professor at school—she was in his very first class in his first year of teaching. Her interest in flowers and plants came up and Yuno told her about his husband’s farm.

Today, instead of the pick-up truck, Asta drove a mini-van with a trailer hitched on the back. Her shop had a small parking area, for two cars, but it was mostly used by her when Asta showed up with her supplies. 

“Morning, Mimosa,” said Asta, brightly.

“Hi, Asta! Professor Grinberryall, good morning,” said Mimosa, brightly. She always loved seeing this family. Yuno sat in the front passenger seat. She saw that they had all four kids in the back—Ben in a booster seat and Bea in a car seat in the middle row and Minnie and Gabe in the back in their booster seats. “Minnie, Bea, Ben, Gabe, hi! Are you guys doing something fun today?”

“We’re going to the amusement park,” said Minnie, cheerfully. The other children cheered loudly.

Yuno grimaced, while Asta grinned. “It is Minnie’s 8th birthday present, after all. We’ll go as soon as I unload the stuff from the trailer.”

“You can leave the trailer here and pick it up when you’re done at the amusement park,” said Mimosa. “Noelle and Marie are here to help unload it.”

Asta grinned. “That’d be a great help, Mimosa! Thanks!”

Mimosa smiled. “Well, you’re my favorite sweet family that’s not related to me.”

Asta chuckled, while Yuno chortled. They knew all about her extended family. After Asta unlatched the trailer from his minivan, Asta asked, “So, did you ask that guy out yet?”

“A guy,” asked Yuno, raising an eyebrow.

“No,” said Mimosa. She regretted telling Asta about her crush on Langris. Asta told her that she should just go for it. “I don’t think he likes me anymore.” She gave them a brief run-down of what happened.

“You need to talk to him,” said Yuno and Asta at the same time. 

Mimosa nodded. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. I mean, you two have been together for ages…”

“Good luck!”

*

After she closed her shop for the day, Mimosa marched herself across the street to catch Langris closing up his shop for the day. “Langris?”

Langris startled. “Mimosa?”

“What did I do wrong? Why are you avoiding me? If you figured out that I have a crush on you and you didn’t feel the same, you didn’t have to just cut me off,” Mimosa blurted out.

Langris dropped his keys. “What?”

“You heard me.”

“You like me?”

“Yes,” said Mimosa, patiently. “And I wanna go out with you, but if you…”

“I thought you had a boyfriend,” said Langris, sheepishly. “The buff ash-blonde guy…”

“Asta? Hah, no way. Asta’s married to his childhood sweetheart, who was my professor at college and they have four kids together,” said Mimosa. “He’s a hugger. Wait, that’s why you’ve been avoiding me? You thought I had a boyfriend that I never mentioned in our conversations before?”

“When you put it like that…it seems I made assumptions,” said Langris, grimacing. Clearly embarrassed, Langris asked, “Can I make it up to you?”

“Sure. Take me out to dinner,” said Mimosa, smiling widely. “And never avoid me again.”

“Deal.”

*

Langris wanted to die of embarrassment.

Since Mimosa had a car, she came to pick him up for their date, which meant that Finral and Finesse were at home to meet Mimosa. Mimosa, being as sweet as she was, gladly spoke with Langris’ brother and sister-in-law, while Langris stood red-faced waiting. He can’t believe that Finral and Finesse were making such a big deal out of a date. Granted, Langris didn’t go on many dates, but still.

“You two have fun,” said Finesse, cheerfully.

“We will, thanks,” said Mimosa.

Grateful that they were getting out of there before Finral pulled out the photo albums, Langris and Mimosa left for her car. Mimosa drove them to the restaurant, which was owned by one of Mimosa’s friends Charmy Pappitson. And Langris had even heard about the only Michelin 4-Star chef in the Clover, so he knew that they were in luck for good food.

To say that Langris was nervous was a bit of an understatement. Mimosa chatted about her day to him while she drove and Langris gave one-word answers like a complete loser. He was already mucking this date up, wasn’t he?

They arrived at _Charmy’s_ street. Mimosa parked in a parking garage and they got out of the car, and headed towards the restaurant entrance. Mimosa said, “Don’t be so nervous, Langris. Just act like you usually do.”

Langris felt his face get warm. She definitely called him out on his awkward nervousness. “Right.”

*

After a five-course meal plus dessert, Mimosa and Langris felt beyond full and decided to go for a walk in the park nearby. Mimosa held his hand and Langris’ heart hammered in his chest. If something as simple as holding her hand, what would happen if they kissed? Langris would die.

Mimosa giggled. “Your hands are sweaty. Do I make you that nervous?”

“Yes,” said Langris, truthfully.

“Cute,” said Mimosa, smiling widely. “You make me nervous too.”

“Really?”

“Yeah,” said Mimosa. “I didn’t date much in high school and college, so I don’t know if I’m messing up.”

“You’re perfect,” Langris blurted out.

Mimosa’s face turned a pretty shade of red. “Smooth-talker,” she teased.

“Just honest,” said Langris.

She smiled again, cheek lightly dusted red, and she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. “I like you.”

“I like you too.”

*

Mimosa Vermillion had a good, happy life.

She owned a flower shop— _Mimosa’s Bundles of Joy_ —in the heart of Clover City. She got to work with flowers every day. Mimosa had a good relationship with her family—her retired parents and her annoying but sometimes alright older brother who ran a dance studio several blocks away. And she got to spend time with her favorite cousin, who helped out at Mimosa’s shop on the weekends.

Mimosa had the reputation of a kind, compassionate woman and generally, people liked her. She had many friends, who she adored and who adored her.

And she had a wonderful, loving boyfriend.

So, all in all, Mimosa was pretty happy.

“I’ll be back in ten minutes,” said Mimosa, a small vase in her hand with a pretty Damascus rose in it.

“Ughhh, you are so sappy,” said Noelle, scrolling her phone. It was a rainy Tuesday afternoon and it was very slow in terms of business. 

“I know how to properly romance my man,” said Mimosa, grinning prettily at her cousin.

“You just like seeing him flustered,” said Noelle. “And I can’t believe that you and Kirsch have the same method to flirt and appreciate your respective partners.”

Mimosa pouted. “Well, when you grow up with your mother returning from trips with first-edition poetry collections for your father, who moons over them and her, that’s how we love.”

Noelle snorted in amusement. “Auntie and Uncle are weird.”

“Well, yeah,” said Mimosa, giggling. “Be back soon.” She grabbed her umbrella and exited her shop. She opened the umbrella and walked across the street to Langris’ shop. She entered the quiet tattoo shop. It seemed that they were also slow.

“Mimosa,” said Langris. “You’re early.”

“And my Damascus roses finally bloomed,” said Mimosa, handing him the vase. “For you.”

“Very pretty,” said Langris, taking the vase gently in his hands. “I’m sure someone will want a tattoo of it.”

“You two are so sweet. I’m getting cavities,” said Letoile, rolling her eyes. She sat in one of the chairs where they did piercings. 

“Shut up,” said Langris, scoffing.

“You two should take an early lunch. Ain’t nothing happening right now,” said Magna. “We got the shop, Boss.”

Mimosa clasped her hands. “Oh, let’s!”

“Alright.”

*

Langris Vaude had a good, happy life.

He had a semi-successful tattoo and piercing shop, which he shoved in his terrible father’s face. He lived with his brother and sister-in-law, who he adored. Langris actually had friends. And he had a loving girlfriend.

She brought him flowers and he drew her pictures. He knew that she always hung up his drawings in her office at her shop, much to his embarrassment. He loved her. She loved him.

So, all in all, Langris was pretty happy.

He and Mimosa have been dating for five months. And Langris knew that someday he wanted to marry her.

“You should move in with me,” said Mimosa, one night as he was walking her home from work.

“What,” Langris asked, startled.

“You should move in with me,” said Mimosa, slower.

“Ok,” said Langris. He’d miss his brother, but seeing Mimosa every morning and every night was too good to pass up.

Mimosa smiled. “Good.”

*

_Sometime in the Future_

“Our son wants your attention,” said Mimosa, holding up their 3-year-old black cat, Kuro, and attempting to pass him to Langris.

“Please, stop calling our cat, our son. It’s weird,” Langris replied, taking Kuro gently in his hands. He petted their cat.

“But we’re cat parents,” said Mimosa, sitting on the sofa with him. She cuddled to him and reached over to also pet their cat.

“It’s gonna be really confusing when our actual child is born,” said Langris, wryly. Mimosa was three months pregnant in their second year of marriage.

“Kuro will be a big brother,” said Mimosa, sighing. 

“Please stop.”

“Never.”

“You’re a weirdo, Mim,” said Langris.

“So are you, love of my life.”

_~fin_

**Author's Note:**

> As always let me know what you think!


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